Category: Tesla

Tesla Launches The Model Y Electric SUV

After much hype and speculation, reputed electric carmaker Tesla has launched the Model Y, its newest electric Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) on the 14th of March. It is the fifth car ever launched from the company and is only the second mass-market electric vehicle by the company since it was founded in the year 2003. The first one being the Tesla Model 3 which was introduced in the year 2017. Tesla Model Y was launched at the company’s design studio in Los Angeles, USA.

Tesla Model Y: Design & Safety

The Tesla Model Y is the second SUV from the company, the first one, Tesla Model X was launched in the year 2015. The car shares many of its characteristics with the Model 3, which is the company’s most affordable car yet. Although the Tesla Model Y has the same design language as the Model 3, the cargo space has gone up from 15 cubic feet in the latter to a whopping 66 cubic feet in the latest SUV. The company promises a low centre of gravity, rigid body structure and large crumple zones which will protect the driver in case of accidents. Seating options have gone up from 5 in the Model 3 to 7 in the Model Y if the buyers choose to install a third seating row.

Tesla Model Y: Performance & Driving

While the two base models of the Tesla Model Y are rear wheel drive, there is an optional All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Dual motors in the more premium models. These motors provide the car with a digitally controlled torque to the front and rear wheels. Like other vehicles in the company’s portfolio, the Model Y has the Autopilot feature which allows for a partially autonomous driving experience. The car has a total of 12 ultrasonic sensors and cameras around the sides which, according to the company will detect nearby cars, prevent potential collisions and assist with parking.

Tesla Model Y: Interiors & Pricing

Also read: Facebook Mobile Application Update Introduces Dedicated Gaming Section

The interiors of the Tesla Model Y resemble the one found in Model 3, with a minimalistic theme and an all-glass roof. There is a 15-inch touchscreen which doubles as the central console of the car. Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates for the car are also displayed and installed from the touchscreen console. Tesla will soon begin the production of the Model Y and its deliveries will commence in the year 2020. The company has announced a total of four variants which along with their acceleration, top speed and price are mentioned below.

Model	Standard Range	Long Range	Dual Motor AWD	Performance
Range	230 miles (370 km)	300 miles (482 km)	280 miles (450 km)	280 miles (450 km)
Top Speed	120 mph (193 kmph)	130 mph (209 kmph)	130 mph (209 kmph)	150 mph (241 kmph)
0-60 mph (0-100 kmph)	5.9 seconds	5.5 seconds	4.8 seconds	3.5 seconds
Price	US$ 39,000 (Rs. 27,00,262)	US$ 47,000 (Rs. 32,54,162 )	US$ 51,000 (Rs. 35,31,112)	US$ 60,000 (Rs. 41,54,250)
Deliveries	Spring 2021	Fall 2020	Fall 2020	Fall 2020

March 15, 2019

Tesla Unveils Faster Third Generation Supercharger

At a customer event at Tesla’s California headquarters on March 6, the company launched its third generation Supercharger which is its fastest yet. It will be capable of charging the Model 3 at the rate of a whopping 250kW, adding another extra 75 miles of range in just about 5 minutes. The ‘V3’ Supercharger is a significant improvement over the company’s V2 Superchargers

Supercharger Availability

The company stated that the installation of the first batch of V3 Superchargers will roll out in the second quarter of 2019. The consumers in the European and Asian-Pacific regions, however, will have to wait until the fourth quarter of the year to gain access to the V3 Superchargers. As of now, the first Supercharger V3 station is only accessible to members of Tesla’s early access program.

Features And Updates

As mentioned before, the Tesla V2 Superchargers were rated to a maximum output of 150 kW. However, Tesla users found that they were actually capped at 120 kW. The company later confirmed that the V2 Superchargers will be updated to 145 kW peak charge rate soon. Also, the company is rolling out a new feature called “On-Route Battery Warmup”, which will ensure that the car’s battery will automatically start heating up to the optimal temperature as the car is en route to a Supercharger. Doing so will reduce average battery charging times by 25 percent.

Tesla Model 3 automobiles will be able to reap the full benefits of the V3 Supercharger. Owing to a better battery optimization, the Model 3 will be able to charge quicker than the Model S and Model X, which will stay capped at 120 kW for now. Although Tesla plans to upgrade the charging speeds in the aforementioned models, the company hasn’t provided complete details regarding the update.

Also Read: Tesla Will Unveil The Model Y SUV On March 14

In addition, Tesla has also fixed a major issue with currently operating Supercharger stations, which is power splitting. Power splitting refers to “slower charging speeds” when multiple charging stations are being used at the same time. The V3 Superchargers aim to eradicate this problem by using built-in liquid coolant systems, ensuring that the Superchargers won’t catch fire spontaneously because of overheating.

March 7, 2019
Tesla Will Unveil The Model Y SUV On March 14
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced on Twitter that the long-awaited electric Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) from the company, the Model Y will be unveiled on March 14. The event will take place at the company’s design studio in Los Angeles, USA. Notably, the Model Y will be the fifth car the company will launch since it was founded in the year 2003.

Tesla Model Y

Model Y unveil event on March 14 at LA Design Studio
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 3, 2019

The upcoming Tesla Model Y SUV will be the second one the company has ever made, the first one being the Model X which was unveiled in the year 2015. Model Y is expected to be an affordable vehicle by the company. While many aspects about the SUV aren’t known yet, Musk on Twitter revealed some key details about the electric car. The vehicle will share most of its features with the Model 3, Tesla’s most affordable car currently. However, the Model Y being an SUV will be 10 percent larger than the Model 3 and will cost as much more. Therefore, the estimated price for the base model of the car is around USD 40,000 (around Rs 28,33,140).

As far as the battery of the car is concerned, the Model Y will be offered with the same battery capacities as the Model 3. The three battery capacity options include the following:
- Standard Range- 50kWh battery
- Mid-Range -62kWh battery
- Long-Range- 74kWh battery
Unfortunately, the Model Y being an SUV will have slightly less range than the Model 3. The latter claims either a 220 mi (354 km) range on Standard model; 264 mi (425 km) on the Mid Range model; and 325 mi (523 km) on the Long Range model. Until now, Tesla has only revealed the silhouette of the Model Y, so there is no official confirmation on how it will look like.

Also read: Honor 20 With Triple Rear Cameras, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor Leaks

The Model Y launch event will also see test rides offered, along with all the detailed specifications and pricing, according to the Tesla CEO. The company will manufacture the SUV at its Gigafactory in Reno, Nevada. The volume production of the car is expected to start in 2020, with an eventual plan on manufacturing it in the Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai China. This suggests that the deliveries of the car are likely to start in late 2020 or 2021.
March 4, 2019
Tesla Model 3 Was The Best Selling Electric Vehicle Of 2018

When Tesla introduced the Model 3 in 2016, it was touted to be the most economical car the company had ever made. In the beginning, the vehicle was said to start at the US $35,000 price tag, which hasn’t been achieved since. Regardless of the pricing, the car was still the lowest-costing Tesla available. Because of the company’s reputation and the recent production increase, the Tesla Model 3 was the world’s best selling Electric Vehicle (EV) in the year 2018.

The Rising Demand For Electric Vehicles

According to a data firm, Tesla sold about 138,000 Model 3’s last year. This is higher than the Nissan Leaf (85,000) and BAIC’s flagship SUV (92,000) or any other automaker in the year. The company has also recently started deliveries to the European markets recently, and just started deliveries in China. Interestingly, China is the largest market in the world for electric cars; so the continuation of Tesla’s success remains critical to how well it performs in the country.

Reports estimate that with the increase in production and entering these two markets in the year 2019, Tesla may see an increase in the sales figures by almost 1,00,000. But there seems to be a problem, as the company has increased production, some analysts have claimed that the demand for the popular EV will see a continuous decline this year. This may be a problem in the US, but not in many markets otherwise. Another problem the carmaker may face will be the ever-increasing competition in the space. China has seen new players in the segments fare significantly well in the past few years.

Also read: Sony Partners With Light To Make Multi-Camera Modules For Smartphones

Tesla is also expected to unveil its newest Electric SUV, the alleged Model Y sometime later this year. This is expected to compete with the Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC, and the Audi E-Tron SUV. The vehicles by Tesla are known for their cutting-edge technology and longer mile range on a single charge; so the SUV is expected to do well just like its other siblings. Also, the company is gearing up production to supply the early adopters of the electric supercar Roadster 2.0; which is scheduled for deliveries next year.

February 23, 2019
Elon Musk Promises Tesla Will Release Full Autonomous Driving Feature This Year

Electronic car maker Tesla has been a driving force in the growth of the sales of electric cars. The company has introduced several futuristic features in their vehicles which have been really popular among buyers. Its CEO Elon Musk promised a while ago that a fully self-driving Tesla will be released by the year 2020. In a surprising move, the senior executive confirmed that the company will indeed be releasing the promised feature by the end of the year 2019.

Tesla & Self Driving Technology

Tesla cars are renowned for their Autopilot feature which makes use of several cameras and sensors present on the exterior of the vehicle. The feature, when used makes the car a partially autonomous vehicle. It still requires the driver to be attentive of their surroundings all the time, or the feature stops working. The feature is then disabled for the rest of the trip and won’t be accessible. It was touted as a revolutionary feature when it was introduced back in 2015 with the v7.0 update of the Tesla OS.

According to Elon Musk though, the hardware in current Tesla cars is capable of fully autonomous driving since October 2016. It is expected that when the fully autonomous driving feature arrives in the form of a software update, it will automatically support the cars manufactured after late 2016. He states that the feature will be so capable that the driver will be able to sleep while the car drives itself. The vehicle will be able to pick the driver up, drive and drop the rider off their destination. This feature will fully roll-out by 2020 until then manual monitoring is required.

Also read: Samsung Launches Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Fit And Galaxy Watch Active

Interestingly, Tesla always missed every deadline that Elon Musk has quoted earlier. So, the feature might take longer than expected to be fully ready. Reports suggest that the Tesla cars with full autonomous functionality are likely to be ready by sometime in 2020.

February 21, 2019
Elon Musk Releases All of Tesla’s Patents To Save Earth

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is known for being a genius, motor mouth billionaire. Under his leadership, Tesla has transitioned from being just another wannabe electric brand to the best selling one. His social media presence is mostly controversial. However, there is no denying that he has done a lot for the planet.

We now have one more reason to praise him. On Thursday, Elon announced that all of Tesla’s patent will be made public in a bid to save the planet.

All our patent are belong to youhttps://t.co/HPK5R5UMS6 pic.twitter.com/t99riofeCI
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 31, 2019

In a blog post shared by him on Twitter, Musk says “Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal. Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.”

Tesla Going Strong

This comes after a report in CNBC stated that Tesla has around 83 percent market share of electric cars in the US. The sales of the company also have increased over 50 percent since last year. With this step, Musk feels that more companies will make use of electric powered vehicles and would contribute to save the planet.

Read more: Nokia 8.1 With 6GB RAM And 128GB Storage Launched

Musk said in his blog post that he earlier filed patents to prevent big car companies from copying the technology. And also using the huge marketing and sales apparatus to take over the market. “We couldn’t have been more wrong. The unfortunate reality is the opposite,” he said, noting that electric or clean-fuel cars “at the major manufacturers are small to non-existent.”

The shares of Tesla declined following mixed reactions to the news.

February 1, 2019
Five Tech Gadgets We Wish Were Available In India

India is one of the fastest growing markets for technology as the developing nation has a huge population with disposable income and they are not wary of spending on new technology. If we look back, there was a time when we hardly received any new tech. Heck! India skipped out on technology like the Answering Machines and Pagers for the mass market. People who could afford it were few and far between. But the scenario has changed and the tech companies now put immense focus on emerging markets such as India. But there are still a few gadgets and tech innovations that we wish came to India. They may be introduced to the Indian market at a later date but they aren’t available just yet.

Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop

The budget gaming laptop that everyone wanted Xiaomi to introduce to India still hasn’t arrived on the country’s shores yet. If anything, India is known to be a price sensitive market and this laptop is extremely budget friendly. It comes in different variants for every budget. The laptop is a 15.6-inch device that sports a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 or i5 CPU, a 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD and either an Nvidia GTX 1060 or an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti. The i7/GTX1060 variant sports a 16GB RAM, while the i5/1050Ti variant is coupled with 8GB of RAM. The 16GB of RAM + GTX 1060 model costs CNY 8,999 (Rs 93695 Approx) while the 8GB of RAM + 1050 Ti model costs just CNY 5,999 (Rs 62459 Approx). This is dirt cheap if we compare it to other gaming laptops of similar specs available in the market.

Amazon Echo Wall Clock

Amazon has introduced a lot of home products in the Indian market and all the products have done quite well. Even though smart home products are something that not Indians are completely familiar with, the Echo devices have done quite well. Amazon launched a smart wall clock recently that connects to your Echo device.

You can set the timer using your Alexa-powered smart speaker and the lights around the rim of the clock will light up to show you how much time is left. The use of this can be a little narrow for users but it can be useful to some. People who are working in household settings, people who are working under strict deadlines, bachelors who are forgetful and people working in the kitchen can all benefit from it. One can set up the clock in their kitchen or on top of their study table or desk and keep a track of time and set timers to achieve certain goals. The price of the clock is $30, which directly converted translates to around Rs 2157.

Huawei’s FreeBuds 2 Pro

Wireless earbuds tech is in vogue and we cannot deny the fact that they are here to stay. After Apple launched their Apple AirPods, every other smartphone manufacturers have launched their version. Huawei recently launched the Huawei FreeBuds 2 Pro. But unfortunately there is no news as to when it will be available in India, if at all. This earphone features bone conduction technology, supports wireless charging and has 13nm drivers. The design is eerily similar to the Apple AirPods right down to the earphone case. One can sue the Huawei Mate 20 Pro to charge the earphones through reverse charging as well. It costs CNY 999 which roughly translates to Rs 10,401.

Google Pixel Slate

Apple recently launched the all new iPad Pro in India and it is absolutely beautiful to look at. However, Google has not paid too much heed to their tablet division in India with the Pixel Slate still not available in the market. The Pixel Slate has four different variants with Intel Celeron processor and 4/8 GB RAM with 32/64GB RAM variant starting at £549 (Rs 49702 Approx) being the cheapest one. The fully specced out version of the tablet with 8th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor and 16 GB RAM, 256GB storage will set you back £1,549 (Rs 140235 Approx). It might be the case that Google does not see the product fit for the Indian market or may very well introduce this tech wonder to India at a later date but we sure hope that it does hit Indian shores soon.

Tesla Model 3

The last one on our list is every car enthusiast and environmentalist’s dream. Tesla has been manufacturing battery powered cars for years now but it still hasn’t come to India. Unlike most car manufacturers, who can just set up a business in India and make and manufacture their products, a Tesla requires planning, help from the government and a lot of infrastructure setup throughout the country. The cars, since they run on electricity, need to have charging points spread across the country. In a country where there are places that hasn’t even received electricity even in 2018, Tesla might be a distant dream. Many countries, Norway being the prime example, have different government schemes. These schemes provide exemptions and rebates to people buying electric cars. But it seems like there is no such plan, at least in the near future in India.

The Tesla Model 3 is the latest addition to Tesla’s lineup and features a 310 mile range, 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.3 seconds and claims to have the most refined design and engineering among other cars in the category. If we do end up on Tesla’s radar and if the government is indeed trying to bring the pollution down by encouraging customers to buy electric cars, we might find a lot of Tesla buyers in the country.

December 15, 2018
Top 5 Upcoming Electric Super Cars

The Tesla Roadster, as one of the first electric super cars shook the automobile industry when it set its 0-60 mark at 1.9 seconds. Here is a car which is extremely fast, stylish, and it is electric. Probably the first time those three words have been used in the same sentence. Apart from its mind boggling acceleration, the Tesla Roadster has a top speed of over 250 mph and a range of 620 miles.

However, the arrival of the Tesla Roadster set a chain of events into motion. Each and every supercar maker is now in the race. Which out of these electric super cars will reach the finish line and that’s what counts! With Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar and Porsche in on it already, the stakes are already high! So here is our list of Top 5 upcoming electric cars which would be the dream of both an environmentalist and auto enthusiast.

Also Read: Why A Tesla Smartphone Could Be Revolutionary

Top Electric Super Cars:

1. Jaguar E-Type:

Yes, you read that right. Jaguar announced that it will be making an all electric production version of the E-Type. It all started in September 2017, when jaguar installed an electric engine inside the timeless classic. This was done to demonstrate what Jaguar believes to be a glimpse into their electric future. The E-Type Zero Concept then moved on to become a reality. According to Jaguar, they are “Future-proofing the enjoyment of Classic Cars”. With the shift to electric for the E-Type Jaguar aims to reach a range over a 170 miles and will be powered by a 40kWh battery. Jaguar plans to start delivery by early 2020 and will also offer the existing owners of the E-Type a switch to electric. Soon, we’ll have the world’s most beautiful car back on the roads again. Going electric will also make this the perfect car for a spy, stylish and stealthy.

2. Ferrari Electric Supercar:

Ferrari’s electric super cars are yet to be named, in fact nothing much is known about them. CEO Sergio Marchionne proclaimed that Ferrari would make sure their electric supercar hits the road before the Tesla Roadster in 2020. Speaking at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, he said, “If there is an electric supercar to be built, then Ferrari will be the first.” Marchionne further went on to say that he is not trying to undermine what Elon Musk has done, he’s just trying to prove that everyone can do it. While his statements are exciting, they come with the certainty that Ferrari will produce electric super cars . Its not too far in the future when we’ll see the iconic brand roll out its electric supercar .

3. Porsche Mission E:

“A sports car that covers over 300 miles with superb performance—but without a drop of gasoline? Welcome to the future: the Mission E electric concept car”. This is what the landing page of the Mission E’s website reads. Porsche’s ideology with this car is clear, electric, sustainable and powerful. The two motors in the Mission E produce a combined output of more than 600 hp (440 kW) and throw it from 0-60 in less than 3.5 seconds. Along with this, the battery only requires 15 minutes of charge to go another 250 miles. Porsche has made this remarkable achievement possible by doubling the standard charging voltage to 800. The Mission E also sets a benchmark when it comes to cutting edge design futuristic looks.

Combined with this is an entirely new and interactive cockpit for the driver. Five OLED panels surround the driver and adjust themselves to the driver’s movements to avoid parallax error. Along with this the new eye tracking technology ensures that the Mission E knows which instrument the driver is looking at and with the push of a single button, that particular instrument will be activated.

4. BMW i8 Roadster Electric:

The BMW i8 has been around for a long time. It went from a concept to production and then a roadster version of the hybrid car came up. Now, BMW is working on bringing a completely electric model of this Roadster variant of the iconic i8. As of now, the Roadster is powered by a Hybrid Synchronous Motor and a Three-Cylinder gasoline engine. BMW has already started working towards this as the new i8 roadster has an improved electric range. Slowly, they plan to make this so efficient that it becomes electric, through and through. even though a specific date hasn’t been fixed for it to come out, looks like it is not too far away.

5. Audi PB18 e-tron:

The PB18 e-tron has just been unveiled to the world. While most other cars might aim to be driven daily as well, the e-tron has one objective- dominate the race track. This can be seen with the driver’s seating position dead-centre in the car. Despite this, Audi does claim that it can be used for everyday purposes and can even accommodate a passenger. The PB18 e-tron looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.

While its got looks to kill for, what it’s packing under the hood is also worth a look. Three motors, one in the front and two in the rear combine to give an output of more than 500 kW which can propel the car from 0-60 in just over 2 seconds. This impressive performance makes the e-tron a beast on the track. However, no one over at Audi would confirm as to when this car would go into production and join the league of electric super cars. Fortunately, they never denied it either, making sure the possibility still hangs around.

Bonus: Mercedes Benz EQ Silver Arrow

Mercedes Benz unveiled its EQ Silver Arrow concept at the Monterey Car Week. The electric super car is a tribute to the record-breaking W 125 car from 1937. The Silver Arrow series of Mercedes Benz prides itself in using the best in design to deliver top speeds. Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer at Daimler AG, said ” Over 80 years ago, the historic Silver Arrows demonstrated that Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer when it came to speed thanks, among other things, to their streamlined shape.”

The impressive machine packs a 80 kWh battery which gives it a range of 400 km. The powerful electric motors provide an output of 550 kW ( 750 hp). The Mercedes Benz EQ Silver Arrow is a visual extravaganza, with unique features such as a single seater cockpit which can be folded forwards. Bringing in design elements form the past and the best of technology, it can never cease to impress. Despite the fact that it is a concept car, we hope that Mercedes Benz might consider making a production variant of the same to compete with all the other electric super cars out there.

The Future is here:

While electric super cars are the way to the future and sustainability, nothing excites us more than the fact that iconic companies are slowly pushing their efforts towards this. While most people might be excited about the electric part, lets not forget that each of these cars will come in strong and fast, trying to set new records, making our hearts race harder than before.

August 27, 2018
Elon Musk Is Turning Teslas Into Atari Gaming Consoles

Electric cars have a history dating back to as early as the 1820s. It was in the year 1828 that a Hungarian inventor, Ányos Jedlik, put together an electric motor. The inventor used this motor to create the first electric car. The idea behind electric cars was to replace the current and expendable source of fuel like petrol and gasoline. Since an electric car ensures zero gaseous emission, it is also safe for the environment. With this in mind, Elon Musk launched a lineup of electrically powered cars, named the Tesla in 2008.

The first car in this lineup to hit the streets was the Tesla Roadster launched in 2008. This car used a Li-Ion battery to produce a total of 248 hp. The car could accelerate from 0 to 97 KM/h in 3.7 to 3.9 seconds. Several models of the Tesla have since been launched an announced, but the one thing they have in common is the centre console display. This large touchscreen is extremely responsive and allows you to control most of the car. According to reports, the company is planning to push a new update to allow Tesla drivers to play classic Atari games on these displays.

Also Read: Why A Tesla Smartphone Could Be Revolutionary

The news comes straight from the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk himself. In a tweet today, Elon announced that the Tesla software update V9.0 will bring Atari games as an Easter egg to the Tesla cars. Some of the earlier Easter eggs include a drawing pad which the Tesla owners can use to create showcase their artistic talents to the world by publishing their work online. Another fun Easter egg converts the map on the touch-screen panel in the car to a Martian map. And with the new update, the company will bring class Atari games to its cars. It is not the first time that idea of gaming inside a car is explored. A YouTube creator by the name Pog converted his luxurious Lamborghini into a racing simulator. He used the rig to play the Xbox game called Forza Horizon 7, here’s the video.

The video above gives a brief idea of how Elon Musk could go about implementing the Atari games. While of primitive graphics, the classic Atari games like Asteroid (1979), Missile Command (1980) seem like a fun time to spend inside a Tesla. The V9.0 update will be publically available in the next four weeks, after which we can safely say, the driveway of Tesla owners will be the new proving grounds.

Have something to add? Leave a Comment Below!

August 2, 2018
Why A Tesla Smartphone Could Be Revolutionary

Smartphones have been around for a while now. Ever since the first iPhone and the first Android Phone arrived, people have had an affinity towards owning a smartphone. In the past few years, smartphones have evolved a lot in terms of their aesthetics and performance. However, even to this day, we know that an average battery life of a smartphone is at most two days. This could soon change, as a few images a front and back panels of a Tesla smartphone were leaked.

Tesla Model 3 via arsTECHNICA

Why Might Tesla Make A Tesla Smartphone?

Tesla is a company which makes some of the most elegant looking, and high-performance electric cars. From the Model S to the Model X, Tesla cars have shown the world that electric cars can potentially outperform petrol or diesel cars. While smartphones with a Qualcomm chipset have Quick Charge capabilities, Tesla cars have Supercharger charging stations. These stations can charge a Tesla car in just half an hour. Tesla also makes its own batteries which can power an entire home and use solar energy for charging. Imagine such a company making a smartphone. The leaked images suggest this might not be a distant dream after all. A Tesla smartphone could change the way in which we perceive design, battery life, and overall performance of a smartphone. Hence it would make sense for Tesla to enter the smartphone market.

Tesla Model X

What Do The Leaks Reveal About The Tesla Smartphone?

As seen from the images, the front panel has a considerably thin notch cut-out. The back panel has a cut-out for the camera below which is the Tesla logo. Right below the logo the number 4 is inscribed after what seems to be the letter “Q”. So it is quite possible that the Tesla smartphone may launch at the Tesla “Q4”. With that said, we should keep our anticipations in check as these images could turn out to be fake or simply accessories for a smartphone. It is not really that hard to print smartphone panels using a 3-D printer.

Tesla Smartphone Leak

What Are Our Prediction For The Tesla Smartphone?

If Tesla will actually launch a smartphone then we expect it to have a giant battery packed into a small form factor. Tesla may also closely integrate its smartphone companion app for Tesla cars with the device. The smartphone could also have an in-display fingerprint sensor and a face unlock. Since its cars have focussed on implementing AI and autonomous functionality, we could see those features in its smartphone as well.

Companies like Huawei have partnered with car companies in the past to launch their smartphones. Huawei launched the Porche design Mate RS in partnership with Porche. The recently launched, Oppo Find X also has a special Lamborghini Edition. So there is also a possibility that this smartphone could be a special edition variant from one such company. Tesla or Elon Musk are yet to comment on these leaks and put an end to speculations once and for all. Nonetheless, we will be on the lookout for more news about the Tesla smartphone.

Have something to add? Leave a Comment Below!

July 25, 2018
Elon Musk Reveals The Roadster He Is Planning To Send Off To Space

A few weeks ago, Elon Musk revealed plans of sending a Teal Roadster inside the Falcon Heavy next year. Now, Elon Musk took to Instagram to show off a few images that is being prepped for the iconic launch into space.

Musk said that test flights are usually boring and contain mass in the form of concrete or steel blocks to test load capacity.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdA94kVgQhU/?taken-by=elonmusk

Falcon Heavy is the successor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. It is supposed to be a more powerful rocket that the SpaceX plans to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. The first flight for Falcon Heavy was scheduled to take off in 2013 or 2014 but, it has been confirmed that the highly anticipated flight will take off in January 2018.

Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2017

Falcon Heavy is three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together. Therefore, the Falcon Heavy will be capable of creating around three times the thrust of a single Falcon 9 rocket, allowing SpaceX to perform missions beyond low Earth orbit.

December 23, 2017
Tesla Is Working On Its Custom AI Chips Says Elon Musk

AI is the next big thing in the tech world, and big companies like Apple and Google have embraced that. According to multiple reports, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was talking up the company’s custom AI chips at machine learning conference NIPS, telling attendees that Tesla is “developing specialized AI hardware that we think will be the best in the world.”

According to The Register, Musk said, “I wanted to make it clear that Tesla is serious about AI, both on the software and hardware fronts. We are developing custom AI hardware chips”.

This report corroborates another report from back in September which claimed that about 50 people in Tesla are working on a custom AI chip. These include respected industry veteran Jim Keller, who previously worked at AMD and Apple, and joined Tesla in January 2016 as vice president of Autopilot Hardware Engineering.

Currently, the company uses Nvidia’s graphics cards to power its self-driving functionality but, with its own AI chip, it will be able to produce the main chip for its self-driving cars in-house. It would also mean improved performance since the company would be able to customise the chip according to its own usage.

AI chips might Tesla to achieve its goal of full autonomy faster than one would have expected. At the same conference, Musk conceded his ambitious timeline of two years to get to Level 5 self-driving, that is the level at which humans can go to sleep in the back seat.

Even if half of all new produced vehicles are autonomous, it's 2%/year that would be pushed to unemployed. @elonmusk thinks AGI is going to be an issue before self driving unemployment – thinks five to ten years before AGI beats humans generally. Insanely optimistic estimate O_o

— Smerity (@Smerity) December 8, 2017

These tweets from AI researcher Stephen Merity claim that Elon Musk predicts that AI might become exponentially smarter than humans in just five to ten years.

December 8, 2017
SpaceX Will Send A Tesla Roadster To Mars In The Falcon Heavy

Elon Musk has said that the first flight of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket will be used to send a Tesla Roadster into space.

Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2017

Elon Musk took Twitter to share this idea and later confirmed in an interview that it his plan to send a Tesla Roadster to Mars in the Falcon Heavy. The tweet has reference to the famous David Bowie song, Space Oddity. It is yet to be seen if the company has taken all the necessary permissions required to launch a car into the space.

Considering trying to bring upper stage back on Falcon Heavy demo flight for full reusability. Odds of success low, but maybe worth a shot.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2017

Falcon Heavy is the successor to SpaceX’s Falcon 9. It is supposed to be a more powerful rocket that the SpaceX plans to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. The first flight for Falcon Heavy was scheduled to take off in 2013 or 2014 but, it has been confirmed that the highly anticipated flight will take off in January 2018.

Falcon Heavy is three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together. Therefore, the Falcon Heavy will be capable of creating around three times the thrust of a single Falcon 9 rocket, allowing SpaceX to perform missions beyond low Earth orbit.

14th Falcon 9 Take Off

Elon Musk has also expressed his desire to launch an even bigger rocket in the future. Earlier this year, at the International Astronautical Congress, Musk said that he plans to pour all of SpaceX’s resources into an even bigger rocket architecture, known as the Interplanetary Transport System.

The Interplanetary Transport System will ultimately take over the Falcon Heavy and make it redundant. It will be capable of taking on the same duties, while adding new capabilities like planting a colony on Mars to making 30-minute transcontinental travel possible on Earth.

December 2, 2017
Tesla Launches A New Power Bank And Desktop Supercharger

Tesla, one of the most talked about electric car companies, has now ventured into smartphone accessories. The American company has announced the launch of a new power bank and a desktop supercharger.

While there are plenty of power banks in the market with much more capacity, Tesla’s power bank will certainly interest people especially at a price tag of US $45.

The desktop supercharger does exactly what the name suggests. It sits on your desktop and has a USB port so that you can connect any USB cable and charge anything you want. It is also priced at US $45 and is available on the company’s official website but, the shipping of the supercharger is delayed as of now.

The smartphone accessory is launched days after the company announced two of its marquee vehicles, the Roadster 2.0 and Tesla Semi. While the Roadster 2.0 is the second iteration of the company’s first Roadster, the Tesla Semi is an electric truck which will go into production in 2020.

The Tesla power bank can charge an iPhone or an Android phone thanks to its integrated lightning cable and a detachable micro USB cable. This is done for people who own a smartphone that charges via Type C cable. It has a capacity of 3350 mAh and a maximum output of 5V/1.5A. These specifications for a modern day power bank are not mind boggling and you have to be Tesla enthusiast to invest on this power bank.

You can buy the newly launched power bank and the desktop supercharger from Tesla’s official website.

November 20, 2017
Tesla Unveils An Electric Truck And A Sports Car

Tesla, the American automaker headed by Elon Musk, has unveiled two new electric vehicles at an event held in Hawthorne. The company revealed a new electric car, the Roadster and an electric truck, the Semi. Not a lot was revealed in terms of specifications about both the vehicles but, Elon Musk said that Roadster will go into production in 2020 while Semi, the e;ectric truck will go into production in 2019.

Tesla Roadster

Musk claims the car will rocket zero to 60 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds, the first production car to perform the feat in under 2 seconds, Musk said. Musk did not confirm the top speed of the Roadster but hinted that it will be over 250 mph. The new sports car is priced at US $200,000. “It’ll be faster than that jet over there,” Musk quipped, as an airplane soared over Tesla’s Hawthorne, California facility.

Musk said the Roadster had a 200 kwh battery pack and a 620-mile range per charge, or over 1,000 kilometres. Imagine driving to Los Angeles to San Francisco, and back, without recharging, Musk teased. The car has three motors, one in the front and two in the rear, all-wheel drive and torque steering.

Tesla Semi Truck

Elon Musk had teased a “self driving electric truck” for a long time. He finally took the stage to unveil the product, the Tesla Semi Truck. The Truck is extremely smart, Musk claims. Surround cameras minimise blind spots, Tesla said.

The trucks will be equipped with enhanced autopilot and other self-drive and safety features such as automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning. Musk claimed incredible levels of safety and reliability. There are onboard sensors which will look for signs of jackknifing. The Truck has four engines, so even if you break two, it will still keep motoring for a million miles.

The windshield is apparently thermonuclear explosion-proof. Musk has guaranteed a refund if the truck doesn’t survive a nuclear explosion.

Even though it is far from consumer ready as the company will start working on it in only 2019, Musk claims that it will be worth the wait. According to Musk, on a 100-mile route, a diesel truck would cost $1.51/mile, while this truck will cost just $1.26/mile. Musk claimed the Tesla Semi would go from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds compared with 15 seconds for a diesel truck. He also said it would climb a 5%-grade hill at 65 mph, compared with a diesel’s 45 mph.

November 17, 2017